Duck Hunt: Aflac Reviews Creative Account

Creative agencies: Get ready to go duck hunting. Insurer Aflac is reviewing its creative account after a long run with Publicis and its predecessor agencies.

"We know that our creative work historically has an impact on distribution and want to ensure that as trends continue to evolve and emerge, we are delivering in meaningful, relevant ways," said Catherine Hernandez-Blades, senior VP and chief brand and communications officer for Aflac, via email. "As the marketplace evolves and consumers are looking for different options, we want to ensure we are meeting them where they want to be met through robust distribution channels, spectacular customer service and products that are second to none."

Hernandez-Blades told Ad Age that the process is being managed by Aflac's Strategic Sourcing and Procurement team. She declined to disclose which agencies are competing for the business.

Even if Aflac gets a new creative agency, the Aflac duck is here to stay, according to Hernandez-Blades.

Linda Kaplan Thaler, founder of Kaplan Thaler Group, which merged with Publicis in 2012, was key in the creation of the Aflac duck. She left her post as chairman of Publicis New York in February 2016, a move that came about eight months after the agency dropped the moniker of her eponymous shop, Kaplan Thaler.

Aflac spent about $93 million on measured media in the U.S. in 2016, according to Kantar Media.

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Lindsay Stein

Lindsay Stein is an agency reporter at Ad Age, mainly covering creative, digital and PR. Prior to Ad Age, she was a senior consumer marketing reporter at PRWeek. When she’s not writing – or training for obstacle course runs – she’s working on personal projects, including film production.